Fight the Good Fight
by N0W 0R N3V3R
Summary: Shepard's victory over the Collector's is short-lived as he is hurled face-first into a new war, the likes of which he has never seen.
1. Unworthy

**Hello readers! For those of you that have read my other story The New Player, I would like to apoligize for not updating for a month now. Writer's Block is not my friend. However, I did come up with a newstoryline that I can honestly say I have yet to see on this website. I hope you enjoy it and sorry for the short chapter, but I have it for a reason, not due to laziness. ;)**

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><p>Shepard slowly roused himself, shaking off debris as he stood. Looking around he spotted his two squad-mates, Legion and Thane, slowly regaining their senses as well. Legion was pinned beneath what appeared to be the remainder of some of the cover he had been using on the platforms. Thane was struggling to extricate himself from beneath the same material. As Shepard freed Thane and turned to Legion his comm buzzed.<p>

"Do you copy? Commander? Come on, Shepard, don't leave me hanging. Do you copy?" It was the Normandy's pilot, Joker.  
>Shepard replied immediately as he freed Legion from his confinement.<p>

"I'm here Joker. Did the ground team make it?"

"All survivors on board. We're just waiting for you."

Almost immediately after Joker finished speaking, a Seeker Swarm appeared near the edge of their position. As Shepard and his squad opened fire, the voice of Harbinger assaulted his mind.  
><em><strong>Human, you have changed nothing<strong>._ The base shook from multiple explosions as Shepard and his squad ran for the evac zone. _**Your species has the attention of those infinitely your greater**._ As the team rounded a bend they came to a large room with a sudden drop and watched as the Normandy rose suddenly from the depths of the chasm. As they ran toward the edge, more and more Collectors poured in behind them and began firing. _**That which you know as Reapers are your salvation through destruction**._ Shepard turned to return fire, only to find the Collectors being cut down as Joker rained fire on them from the Normandy's airlock. Using a waiting platform, Legion and Thane jumped aboard the Normandy and provided cover-fire. As Shepard neared the ledge, falling debris destroyed the platform, leaving a gap three times wider than what the others had dealt with. Rather than stopping, Shepard ran full-pelt and jumped the gap. **_You are not worthy; therefore your part here is done.  
><em>**  
>Just as Shepard reached the apex of his jump a large, blue-black sphere appeared in front of the airlock. Unable to stop himself, Shepard prepared to make contact with the object- only to go through it. At least he thought he went through it. Shortly before losing consciousness Shepard realized he had passed into the sphere, but had never come out.<p>

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><p><strong>To those who read this abhorrently short chapter, thank you. Number two is already coplete with number three making good progress. <strong>

**-Much Love, N0W 0R N3V3R.**


	2. Incursio

**Hello readers! As I said, chapter 2 is done. Hooray! *crickets chirping* Ahem, right then. This chapter honestly isn't as long as some of my other work but it was extremely draining to write, and I honestly couldn't add anything without messing with my plotline. But enough of my simpering, read on!**

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><p>"Get inside! Get to Camp Jupiter! I'll hold them off, go!" John yelled at his comrades.<p>

They had returned from a scouting patrol an hour earlier than expected, the reason being that they had found a young demigod being attacked by a group of 20 monsters. The monsters had been dealt with easily enough, nothing Legionaries couldn't handle. Then they had been ambushed by a much larger force, at least 50 of the damned things. They'd nearly lost the new recruit when they were first assaulted and had barely survived long enough to get back to the hidden entrance. Now they needed to get inside.

"I said go! They'll be here any minute!" John repeated firmly.

"John, there are dozens of them, that's more than even you can handle on your own. We can hold them off together."

John glared at the speaker, his best friend Ryan, for a few seconds before replying. "I am ordering all of you to escort the recruit to Camp Jupiter and warn Rome. I'll be right behind you. If I'm not, you can come reinforce this position, **after** you get her to safety."

"But-"

"No buts! Get mov-" He was cut off as an arrow struck the wall near him. "They're here, get inside now or so help me I'll throw you in!"

His friends, his brothers and sisters in arms, looked at him sadly. They all knew this wouldn't end with him on top. This was his last fight, and he wasn't going to let them risk their lives for him, that was never his way.

"_Vale frater_." They all spoke as one. Farewell brother.

"_Vale_. Now go!" He shouted, slamming the door as the last of them filed through the door. They would not see him cry.

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><p>"We can't just leave him, he'll be killed!" The new recruit, a young girl named Anna, shouted as the solemn group dragged her down the tunnel.<p>

"Don't you think we know that? He is my best friend, and there is nothing I can do for him but follow orders and pray that he holds out long enough for us to get back."

"The wolves taught me that you never leave a member of the pack behind! Have you forgotten your time with them?" She shouted at them.

"Ryan, she's right. We can't leave him to die out there. We have to go back." Another of the Legionnaires, Steven, stated.

"Alright, alright! Cass, you get Anna to Rome. The four of us will go help John."

"Okay Ryan, good luck."

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><p>As they neared the door, Ryan stopped them.<p>

"I will warn you now. John is different when he fights; he changes from the guy we all know when his life is on the line. Don't judge him too harshly if you don't like what you see. War changes him."

"What's that noise? It sounds like 'Animal I Have Become.'" Nick, one of the newer Legionnaires asked.

"It probably is. John is a son of Mars but his mother was an amazing musician. For some reason, whenever John listens to music while fighting, he changes to fit the song. Be warned: stay away from him as much as possible for now. It's for your own good." He said, easing the door open.

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><p>The sight that met their eyes when the door opened caused utter shock. There was a force of at least 100 monsters, a mix of Centaurs, Cyclposes, shadowy armored figures, and large wolves attempting to rush the entrance, while the 5 o'clock traffic flashed by obliviously. The greatest surprise was John.<p>

"Where is he? I don't see hi-" Steven was cut off as one of the monsters flew above them and exploded upon contact with the wall.

"There he is." Ryan stated shakily, pointing into the thick of the group. The Legionnaires gasped as they saw what he was pointing at.

There stood John, his Imperial gold armor covered in golden dust and blood, _his_ blood. Looking into his red-plumed helmet, all they could see was blackness except for two burning red holes where his eyes should have been. His cloak and what they could see of his shirt were shredded; his chest-plate, helmet, and shin guards were dented beyond repair. And still he fought on, his _dory_ flashing in and out of the monsters constantly, his _hoplon_ slamming his enemies left and right. There was another collective gasp as the spear snapped and was replaced instantly by his _kopis_, hacking and slashing the beasts into oblivion. But he was losing ground, receiving more and more wounds to his arms and legs. It was only a matter of time before he was overwhelmed.

"Come on! We have to save him!" Ryan shouted as he and the others charged toward the dwindling horde, only to be stopped in their tracks as a piercing screech cut the air like a knife. The music stopped.

The monsters numbers had been thinned out enough that it was easy to see what had happened. John fell to his knees slowly, unable to bear the weight of the three spears lodged into his chest, coupled with the short sword jammed into the vision-slit of his Greek helmet. He fell back slowly, almost as if he were drifting in water. John, son of Mars, had fallen.

There was a collective howl of rage as the four remaining Legionnaires fell upon the surviving monsters. They would all pay, or so they thought.

A shout of pain to his right made Ryan aware that they had been outflanked by more monsters and that Steven had fallen, along with Angelica to his left. Nick followed them as archers rained hell upon the group, and Ryan felt pain where at least five arrows had pierced his chest and sides.

As more and more monsters poured into the area to surround his bleeding form, Ryan dimly realized that his friends had died in vain. This was no pointless skirmish. Rome was being invaded. Then he thought no more.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading, the next chapter is in progress.<strong>


	3. Principium

**Hey there guys! Long time no see! *crickets chirp in the background* Well, sorry for the long period of silence (caused by a mixture of school and Writer's Block) But now I'm back and ready to continue. So sit back, relax, and try to bear with me. Enjoy!**

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><p>"There are thousands of them! How are we supposed to defeat a force of that size? Mors won't save us from dying again! We're lucky he did in the first place." One of the Centurions of 1st Cohort stated. Several others in the room nodded vigorously.<p>

"What do you suggest we do then? Surrender? Because we know how that will end! We've already lost five Legionnaires to them, and Percy and Jason left for Old Rome days ago! They can't help us." Another Centurion, this one from 3rd Cohort stated coolly. Many more Centurions nodded their agreement.  
>The argument had been going on for hours. When the enemy force had arrived two days before, Camp Jupiter had had no prior warning. If the army had attacked then, there would have been a bloody battle that would have ended in a draw. However, they had waited and received reinforcements, bringing their strength up to surpass that of the last army to assault the Camp. The Camp had received a few extra men and women from Rome, but was still severely outnumbered.<p>

Reyna finally stepped in.

"We've been going in circles for hours now! All we can do is build up our fortifications around the camp and Rome. We can hold them, we have no other choice." She said, effectively silencing them all. Then she remembered another issue that had arisen. "Cindy, how is the man they found in the river?" She asked another of the Centurions. He had been the cause of much suspicion from the Lares and the more superstitious Legionnaires. They couldn't afford distractions now.

"He should be regaining consciousness sometime today, although I honestly don't know how he could have gotten here. The borders are guarded against mortals, dead or otherwise. He would have had to already have been in here unless he somehow magically-"

She was cut off by the sound of footsteps outside as another Legionary entered the tent. He searched the room momentarily before finding who he needed.  
>"Reyna, he's awake. He wishes to see whoever is in charge." He said uneasily.<p>

"What's wrong?" Reyna asked.

"You'll see, trust me."

After a quick look around, all of the Centurions left the tent to return to their posts, leaving Reyna and the Legionary alone. She took a moment to gather herself after the meeting; it had been a very long day. She then turned to the Legionary.

"Take me to him. It seems we have a lot to talk about."

He nodded, and then began walking briskly toward the infirmary, nodding to those he passed and occasionally making remarks about the state of morale in the Camp. Everyone was scared and there were no illusions about how the coming battle would end.

"They all believe there is no hope. There isn't, is there?" He asked when they reached the entrance to the stranger's room. She was unprepared for the question but answered without hesitation.

"There is always hope Cody, we just have to hold out. We will win this." She spoke with confidence that she definitely didn't feel. He seemed to straighten up at her words, nodding slowly before leaving her to meet the patient.

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><p>Upon entering the room she came face-to-face with the stranger, a man that was maybe in his mid-thirties. Dark, short-cropped hair covered his head, along with a small amount of dark stubble covering his chin. He had tan skin that was marred by a few obvious scars on his eyebrow and cheekbone along with one on his cheek that glowed red like hot coals, like he had been on the receiving end of a red-hot blade at some point in his life.<p>

He had been studying her since she entered as well, and she had the distinct impression of a wolf on the hunt, like he was simply waiting to strike. As she gathered her thoughts she looked him in the eyes and almost gasped; they were the color of freshly spilled blood and spoke of years of hard living and pain. They spoke of a man who had looked the Grim Reaper in the face and then gutted him with his own scythe. She noticeably shivered, and then he spoke.

"Like I told the last kid in here, I want to see your leader. I've been patient, but the costumed children are getting old. I suggest you bring me the leader of this facility before I burn it to the ground." He stated matter-of-factly. He had no qualms with using violence to get what he wanted; it was nothing new after all.

Not one to be easily intimidated, Reyna answered him calmly. "I am the leader of this... facility. One of my patrols found you in the river severely wounded. We were not sure you would pull through. I am Reyna, Praetor of the Twelfth Legion. We have treated you well; you would do well to remember that. We have enough to worry about without adding ungrateful patients to the list."

He stared at her for a moment with an amused look on his face.

"Okay 'Praetor', I'll play nice for now. I don't suppose you could return my equipment could you? And would you mind telling me what planet I'm on? I need to get to the nearest communications outpost to signal my crew to pick me up."

"Planet? What are you talking about? This is Earth. Last I checked, we haven't gained the ability to colonize other worlds yet. Last I heard, it would be years before it would be possible." Reyna said, suddenly becoming confused.

"Don't fuck with me kid, where am I?" He said as he tried to rise out of his bed, only to fall back clutching his side in pain. Why did he still hurt? Medigel should have had him up and about already. A small worm of doubt began working its way into his mind. "What year is it?" He asked quickly.

"It's 2010. We are in the United States of America, near the west coast."

"Impossible, that's impossible. I-I- How could this have happened! I don't-" A look of utter hatred and loathing crossed his face, causing Reyna to reflexively grab her weapon. He didn't even notice. "Harbinger! That must have been some kind of portal! He sent me back in time so I couldn't fight him anymore. That means that the galaxy is lost- or will be." He had begun talking himself quietly, although she could still hear him faintly.

"I think you should lie down and get some rest." Reyna said slowly as she backed up to the door. "I'll come back later; we can talk then, when you're feeling better."

He glanced at her as if suddenly realizing she was still in the room with him and then replied. "You're probably right. I'm not fully healed anyway. I wouldn't last through anything in my current state. Oh, can you have my equipment sent to me? It seems that it's all I have left." He asked, his voice quiet as he processed this turn of events.

Reyna hesitated before nodding slowly. The man thanked her and she turned to go.

"Wait!" He called as the door closed. He held out his hand to her when she returned. "Commander Alan Shepard; I would like to offer my services to you when I am fully recovered. I'm sure you'll find that it's an offer you won't regret accepting." He said, a strange light flashing in his blood-red eyes. It seemed his moment of hysteria had passed.

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><p>As Reyna sat in her place that night, contemplating the situation while the others ate their meals in silence, she began to wonder how they would be able to survive against the enemy force, let alone defeat it. While they weren't being led by another giant, they still outnumbered them at least five-to-one and were receiving a steady trickle of reinforcements every day. They would have to do something soon or there would be no hope for any of them. As these dark thoughts circled in her mind she became aware of a long, bleating tone from the darkness outside the camp. After moments confusion she realized what was happening.<p>

"War horn! Get formed up into your cohorts now! The camp is under attack! Prepare to march against the enemy!" She shouted to the soldiers before her as they scrambled for the exits to retrieve their equipment. As the last of them left the room she turned to her own arms and armor, dressing herself in her war garb with practiced, if hasty, ease. Upon exiting her tent she found the five cohorts formed up and ready to march, their Imperial Gold armor shining in the days fading light. Most of them looked shaken while others looked absolutely calm, as if resigned to their fates. Reyna frowned at this thought and realized she should say something. She took up position in front of them, seated on her pegasus so that all could see her.

"Men and women of the Twelfth Legion! Across the Little Tiber awaits our enemy! They dare to show themselves here after the last army to face us was utterly annihilated. Many of you feel that it is our turn to fail, our time to die. That will not happen here, not so long as we draw breath. They will regret the day they rose from Tartarus. Are you with me? Will you help me turn the tide against these monsters that would destroy our very way of life?" She watched them quietly, waiting for a reply as she studied each of them. Fifth Cohort was the first to respond.

"Praetor, we will die for you! Lead the way!" The other Cohorts quickly took up the call, heartened by her words of encouragement.

"Lead us, lead us, lead us!" The entirety of the Legion roared as one.

Reyna was silent for a moment before replying confidently, "Then follow me! May Mars smile upon us this night!" She shouted as she wheeled her pegasus around and took to the sky. As one, the Legion charged after her into the night.

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><p><strong>Well, there it is. After a few months of nit-picking, it is finally out. R&amp;R to let me know what you think!<strong>


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